The present invention relates to a maintenance information management system for managing information on the maintenance of power generating plants or the like, as well as a method of providing a maintenance plan.
In the conventional management of generating-plant maintenance information, users store inspection reports submitted by engineers dispatched from makers and technical data presented by makers, and makes effective use of them as preventive maintenance information. Meanwhile, makers also manage inspection reports and technical data, and indirectly provide engineering support for maintenance activities planned by users, by using such data. For example, when a user requires a maker's engineering support at the time of drafting a maintenance plan, the engineering support is provided in the form of responding to an inquiry from the user. Listed below are the details of the generally practiced management of maintenance information and engineering support on the part of the maker for maintenance activities.    (1) When conducting maintenance activities such as periodic inspection, the user requests the maker to dispatch engineers, and manages inspection reports submitted by the maker. Ensuing maintenance activities are planned on the basis of these reports.    (2) The maker stores and manages the inspection reports prepared by the engineers, and rearranges information necessary for the ensuing maintenance activities as technical data and supplies them to the user.    (3) At the time of drafting a plan on maintenance activities, the user takes into consideration the inspection reports and technical data submitted by the maker, and studies them. In addition, the user makes technical inquiries at the maker, as required, through telephone, facsimile, or the like, and drafts the plan on maintenance activities.    (4) Orders for dispatching of engineers necessary for the maintenance activities, arrangement for parts, and the like are placed with the maker through a business department.    (5) Before conducting the maintenance activities, the user and the maker make arrangements to mutually confirm the details of the maintenance activities, the period of dispatch of trainers, the date of delivery of the parts, and the like.    (6) The user carries out the maintenance activities on the basis of the drafted maintenance plan.
Namely, when carrying out maintenance activities for a generating plant, the user drafts a plan on the basis of the inspection reports and technical data submitted by the maker, and inquiries about unclear points and technical inquiries are made by using telephone and facsimile. Personnel from the maker visits the user, or personnel from the user visits the maker, so as to conduct mutual examination and confirmation, and the maintenance activities are then carried out.
It should be noted that, as a system for maintenance management of documents, including facility drawings, maintenance documents, and the like of such as plant facilities, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 11-85262 (JP-A-11-85262), for instance, discloses a technique in which document information is managed in a centralized manner on the maker side, and information concerning a document is supplied to the user, as required.
As described above, since the conventional maintenance activities are planned on the basis of the maintenance information on a document basis, to formulate a maintenance plan by collecting past information and grasping the trend, a large amount of time and labor are involved in picking out data, so that much labor has been required on the part of the user. Hence, there has been a demand for a technique for performing such operations efficiently. In addition, since engineering support for the user has been conventionally carried out though telephone, facsimile, the mailing of documents, and the like, speedy and accurate engineering support has been desired.
In addition, although it is described in JP-A-11-85262 referred to above that document information is managed in a centralized manner on the maker side, the publication is not aimed at providing to the user information on the estimation of aged deterioration in the future and a maintenance plan concerning facilities subject to maintenance on the basis of the maintenance information collected in the past.